STATISTICS ARE PROVIDED BY COUNTY FOR ALL 50 STATES, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, PUERTO RICO, AND U.S. TERRITORIES. ACCIDENTAL DEATHS AND MURDERS UNRELATED TO THE PERFORMANCE OF OFFICIAL DUTIES ARE EXCLUDED. CHARTS AND TABLES SUMMARIZE THE DATA AND PROVIDE COMPARISONS WITH PREVIOUS YEARS. DATA ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE DEATHS INCLUDE TYPE OF WEAPON, TYPE AND SIZE OF FIREARM, LOCATION OF FATAL WOUNDS, DISTANCE BETWEEN OFFICER VICTIM AND OFFENDER, HOUR OF DAY, DAY OF WEEK, MONTH, CIRCUMSTANCES AT THE SCENE OF THE CRIME, CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE ASSIGNMENT, AND PROFILES OF THE POPULATION GROUP SURROUNDING THE ASSIGNMENT, THE OFFICER INVOLVED, AND THE OFFENDER. SUMMARIES OF THE INCIDENTS ARE INCLUDED. IN 1977 A TOTAL OF 93 LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WERE KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY, A 16 PERCENT DECREASE FROM THE 111 KILLED IN 1976; 81 PERCENT OF THE 1977 FATALITIES WERE IN UNIFORM, AN INCREASE OF 10 PERCENT OVER 1976. SINCE 1972 THE NUMBER OF POLICE FATALITIES HAS STEADILY DECREASED. THIS IS ATTRIBUTED TO THE USE OF UNIFORM CRIME REPORTING DATA TO ALERT OFFICERS TO CIRCUMSTANCES KNOWN TO LEAD TO POLICE DEATHS. IN 1977 THE MAJORITY OF THE VICTIMS (22 OFFICERS) WERE RESPONDING TO DISTURBANCE CALLS, 20 WERE RESPONDING TO BURGLARIES OR ROBBERIES IN PROGRESS OR WERE PURSUING SUSPECTS OF THESE INCIDENTS, 19 WERE ATTEMPTING ARRESTS FOR OTHER CRIMES, AND 12 WERE ENFORCING TRAFFIC LAWS. MISCELLANEOUS CIRCUMSTANCES ACCOUNTED FOR THE REMAINING DEATHS. (GLR)